Establishing collaborations with pharmaceutical and biotech companies, as well as academic institutions, is an important part of drug discovery research at the Novartis Institutes of BioMedical Research (NIBR). Reaching out to obtain rights to the most innovative and promising technologies can complement and accelerate NIBR’s drug development efforts. This means that Frances (Fran) Heller, Head of Strategic Alliances at NIBR, must negotiate deals with many potential partners from the industry as well as academic institutions. “My focus is on key research and business goals. Our team strives to obtain all necessary rights to technologies under the best possible terms,” said Fran.
Fran works with investigators from every therapeutic area and platform technology group to identify technologies that can be partnered to advance NIBR’s research objectives. She also looks to venture capitalists for promising early staged research projects. But Strategic Alliances’ responsibilities don’t end after a deal is signed. “While executing a deal that meets our objectives is our No. 1 priority,” said Fran, “you have to build and maintain a strong relationship with your partner in order to have a successful collaboration.”
One of the most exciting and promising deals that Fran recently negotiated was with MorphoSys AG, a German company that developed a proprietary technology for the production of synthetic, fully human antibodies. “This deal brings us the technology needed to identify and develop multiple therapeutic antibodies against targets that are of great interest to our researchers,” said Fran, “The collaboration has the potential to benefit every disease area.” She derives a great deal of satisfaction in knowing that the successful negotiations with MorphoSys will bring together people and technologies that could eventually produce life-saving drugs.
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